1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming a spliced yarn.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Space-dyed yarns are carpet yarns that change color at predetermined intervals along the length of the yarn. Carpets manufactured using space-dyed yarn are desirable owing to the pleasing aesthetic provided by the variegated colors of the spaced-dyed yarns.
The color changes along the length of a space-dyed yarn is accomplished by one of two primary methods. In the first process, a white yarn is passed through a multicolor dying machine wherein the yarn is held against rollers containing different colored dyes. This process is very flexible, but it is quite slow and requires a large investment in associated dryers and heat-setting equipment. Moreover, the color produced to a yarn by dyeing are not as durable and vibrant as the color imparted to a solution-dyed yarns. In a solution dyed yarn the color pigments are incorporated into the polymer pellets from which the yarn is made.
The second process also begins with a white yarn which is knit into a fabric. The fabric is then printed with a multicolored pattern Once dried and heat-set, the fabric is unraveled and rewound into a package. This process is relatively slow and expensive. The yarns produced by this process are seen to suffer the same disadvantages as to color durability and vibrancy as the yarn produced by the other process.
In view of the foregoing it is believed advantageous to provide a process and an apparatus for producing a multicolored yarn that is able to provide substantially the same multicolor appearance as a space-dyed yarn.